Tipping Point

By: Michael Swanger - Des Moines City View

August 8, 2008

Here's a tip. Crime only pays when you make an anonymous call to help the police catch the bad guys.

Some of Des Moines' most publicized felonies, from the Drake Diner shootings to a series of recent bank robberies, were solved thanks to watchful citizens. When law enforcement agents hit a brick wall tracking down leads, the public stepped up and called Polk County Crime Stoppers (PCCS) - an affiliate of Crime Stoppers International (CSI) - to provide anonymous tips to help solve those and numerous other perplexing investigations. Now PCCS officials hope to gain a stronger foothold in the community as it gears up to host CSI's international conference in Des Moines, reminding the public that doing the right thing can also earn you cold, hard cash.

Since its formation in 1976, CSI has paid more than $87 million for tips that have lead to more than 742,000 arrests and more than one million prosecutions. Those busts have resulted in the recovery of nearly $2 million in property and more than $9 million in money, as well as the seizure of more than $7 million in drugs. An non-profit umbrella organization operated by a volunteer board of directors, CSI also boasts an average conviction rate of 95 percent on cases solved by CSI tips, and has established a worldwide computer network to link programs and share information.

"We're not the police, we're a separate organization," said Greg Willey, a member of the board of directors of Polk County Crime Stoppers and Executive Team Lead-Assets Protection for Target. "We don't want to discourage people from calling the police, but you'll find there is a certain element on the streets that doesn't want to call the police, but they have some decency and a code of conduct they abide by that allows them to contact us anonymously and have an impact on a case without impacting themselves."

CSI got its start in 1976 in Albuquerque, N.M., when a college student was shot to death during a gas station robbery and police had no leads in the investigation. That's when the detective in charge of the case decided to create a video re-enactment of the homicide in hopes of gaining some tips from the public. He guaranteed anonymity for anyone who was willing to call him with information and put up the reward money out of his own pocket. A few hours after the re-enactment was broadcast, he received a tip from a resident who identified the suspects. In less than 72 hours, two men were arrested and later were charged with the murder and a string of armed robberies. Shortly afterwards, the Albuquerque Police Department allowed a group of citizens to establish the initial Crime Stoppers program, the first of more than 1,200 worldwide.

PCCS, an official member of CSI, was founded in 1985 in West Des Moines, but has grown countywide. Over the years, it has received thousands of anonymous tips that have lead to several arrests in Polk County. Since 2000, it has fielded more than 2,500 calls and paid more than $100,000 in cash rewards to more than 250 tipsters.

In 2007, PCCS and "Metro's Most Wanted" paid $6,150 in rewards to 17 tipsters, compared to 35 payments in 2006 totaling $8,850. Calls last year that lead to arrests and indictments for charges of robbery paid the most at $2,500. Other monies were paid for tips regarding burglaries, bank robberies, sex offenses, harassment, drugs and weapons.

"Money talks," said Des Moines Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Vincent Valdez, who is also a founder and the longtime host of the weekly television show "Metro's Most Wanted," which airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. on KDSM Fox 17. "Callers might be spouses, friends, ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends or partners in crime, and they help detectives whose leads have gone cold. The mass exposure of putting their picture on TV can really help."

Here's how it works: Calls are fielded at the Polk County Sheriff's office on a private line and passed on to the appropriate law enforcement official responsible for working on a case. Callers are given a unique code number to ensure anonymity during the entire process. Upon the arrest and indictment of an individual, the investigating officer makes a recommendation for a reward. The reward request is then brought to the board of directors for approval. Cash rewards pay as much as $1,000 for information and tips that lead to the arrest and indictment of those charged with felony cases like homicide, burglary, assaults and drugs. Callers who are offered cash rewards are instructed to pick up their cash payment at a designated bank by showing their code number.

"The bank puts the money in an envelope, hands them the money and off they go," Willey said. "It's that easy."

What has not been so easy for PCCS, however, is securing enough donations [which are tax deductible] from citizens and businesses to help pay for cash rewards. Since 1999, PCCS has sponsored "Metro's Most Wanted," arguably its most visible and successful program, and has relied on corporate sponsors like Banker's Trust and U.S. Cellular to pay for airtime and rewards.

"It's one of the biggest hurdles we face," said Willey, who estimates he spends about 10 hours a week working on PCCS matters. "We're a group of volunteers who are in constant fundraising mode."

Willey has talked to lawmakers in an attempt to secure additional funding. He has even suggested a program where a small portion of the fees used to catch one criminal roll over into helping catch the next one. Willey, who has worked in retail security for 31 years, said additional revenue could be used to fund school programs to recruit students, increase advertising, pay for trips to conferences or hire a paid executive director to lead the group.

"The challenge is to get our brand out there," he said. "Not having an executive director has affected our ability to move forward as an organization. It's something I would be interested in doing, but it requires someone who is invested in it full-time."

Valdez also balances his "Metro's Most Wanted" duties with those of being a full-time police officer. He credits Des Moines Police Chiefs William Moulder, Bill McCarthy and Judy Bradshaw for professionally and personally supporting the show, as well as PCCS for funding rewards. Over the years, despite job changes within the department, he has maintained his status as the sole host of the program every Saturday night on Fox. He helped launch the show in 1987 after he and a group of DMPD officers attended a crime prevention conference in the Quad Cities where they saw a clip of the television show "Wheel of Misfortune." Based in Moline, Ill., its faux game show host would spin a wheel loaded with mug shots and information of wanted criminals for the week.

"They would go to stores and malls to film it, and it became really popular," he said. "That's when we came up for the idea for 'Metro's Most Wanted.' We put out a request for proposal to all of the television stations in Des Moines, and Fox was a good match. They were airing 'America's Most Wanted' and 'Cops,' so it was a perfect fit. The station's former General Manager Ted Stevens suggested we air it during 'America's Most Wanted' so people would get used to seeing it every Saturday night. Over the years, people have told me they watch it religiously to see who is on. It's not uncommon for us to get tips and find someone hours after the show is over."

Since PCCS started sponsoring the show eight years ago, more than 275 arrests have been made thanks to tips from those who watched "Metro's Most Wanted." Valdez said the show's success has motivated him to continue hosting the show.

"That's what shows me it's a worthwhile program," he said. "Some of the people we have profiled have been bad, bad people."

Valdez said a few cases over the years stand out in his mind.

"One guy loved to hurt people, he would break bones in people's faces and he was a danger to police," he said. "We also had a couple of child molesters. One went to Mexico to hide out after we aired his picture. Police there later found him dead, but made the connection to 'Metro's Most Wanted.' Another guy committed suicide after he saw himself on our show. It's a powerful thing to see your face on TV if you're wanted for something."

Like other PCCS programs, "Metro's Most Wanted" assures callers anonymity, Valdez said.

"The people who call us sometimes might have shady backgrounds," he said. "We know a lot of criminals are taking advantage of rewards, but when it comes to a murder or child molester we don't care who it is - we want to get them. Detectives put their hearts and souls into finding these people, so they realize it's important to use other sources."

Occasionally, Valdez said, callers refuse to accept reward payments, "because it's the right thing to do," they say. But it's rare.

Equally as rare is a PCCS case like that of the death of Robert "Corey" Poffenberger, who was murdered Oct. 24, 2003 in the driveway of his East Des Moines home. PCCS, with the financial support of Poffenberger's family, is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s).

"I got to meet the family and see their faces. I normally don't get to do that," Willey said. "To put a face with the situation makes you want to do something for them. The only things we can do is put the information out there and have a stream of funds. You would hope as a community somebody saw something and will come forward. Even among criminals there is a code of conduct."

Though PCCS members say most Iowans are willing to aid law enforcement officials by providing anonymous tips that can lead to cash rewards, they sometimes battle public fear of reprisal, an attitude of apathy and a reluctance to get involved.

"It's becoming more prevalent in Des Moines as we have people from big cities like Chicago and Kansas City move here," said Gabriel Glynn, sponsorship coordinator for CSI and president and founder of Asset Protection Specialists in Ankeny. "In bigger inner cities you see people wearing 'No snitching' or 'Snitch and die' T-shirts. Part of it is gangster rappers that support 'No snitch' campaigns. We're fighting a battle to get the information out, but there's a battle on the streets, too.

"It's important that we head off the 'No snitching' problem before it starts here. In Iowa we're all friends and neighbors and we watch out for each other, but it's not like that in big cities where if something happens you look the other way."

Glynn also said that PCCS and other CSI member groups suffer from a lack of publicity.

"Part of the problem is when something good happens you hate to go to the media so you don't in any way put the tipster in danger," he said.

Meanwhile, Glynn believes that investing in PCCS can only pay off in the long run.

"There might come a time when you need a tip to solve a crime against your business or your family," he said. "The more we can build it up, the better chance you have of benefiting from it when you need it."

This week, members of Crime Stoppers International from the United States, Canada, Europe, Caribbean, Australia and Asia convene in Des Moines for the group's 29th annual convention and training conference. PCCS members hope the convention will shed a positive light on their organization and help recruit members and financial support from businesses and community members.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it won't be back in the U.S. until 2012," said Willey, conference chairperson. "We're hoping it will help us find more people who are committed to making things happen." CV

(For more information about Crime Stoppers International, visit www.c-s-i.org. To report a crime, call the annonymous tipline at 223-1400.)

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